Getting in and around Pampanga and Bataan just got easier after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently completed 3 new bridges.

Now officially open to vehicular traffic are the Pasac-Culcul Bridges 1 and 2 along Sto. Tomas-Minalin Road in Minalin, Pampanga, and the Samal Bridge along Junction Layac-Balanga-Mariveles Port Road in Samal, Bataan.

The newly-opened bridges serve as replacement projects on existing bridges and are safer and stronger than the original. The Pasac-Culcul bridges in Pampanga replaced two bailey bridges along the 15-kilometer diversion and bypass road for Sto. Tomas and San Fernando. Meanwhile, the new Samal Bridge supplanted an old two-lane bridge that had rusty steel girders.

“These new 2-lane bridges were constructed under the DPWH Bridge Construction Replacement Program (BCRP) I Contract Package 2 implemented by DPWH UPMO-Bridge Management Cluster to provide safer, sturdier linkage along national roads that also serve as diversion roads and help decongest traffic along major thoroughfares,” said DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.

The DPWH spent Php 43.7 million in constructing Pasac-Culcul Bridge 1 which stretches 90 lineal meters. On the other hand, Pasac-Culcul Bridge 2 spans 45 lineal meters and cost Php 26.7 million. Finally, another Php 14.6 million was used in building the 35-lineal meter Samal Bridge in Bataan.

For Stage 2 of the BCRP, the DPWH plans on completing the replacement of the 90-linear meter Langawan Brdige in Baler, Aurora by the end of September. Also set to be replaced is the 21-lineal meter Salvacion Bridge in Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

The replacement of the 320-linear meter Sabang Bridge in Baler, Aurora; 240-lineal meter Sibut Bridge in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; and the 150-linear meter Carael Bridge in Botolan, Zambales are also set for completion and opening by February 2019 under BCRP Stage 3.